To Be Loved
by Blood Lady
Summary: Momo Hinamori is a slave who gets passed from one owner to the next, but when one of these owners falls in love disaster results. Hitsu/Hina. Please R
1. Broken

**Author's Notes:**

First things first, thanks so much to Merciless Ruby for letting me use her idea of slavery in Seretei.  
So no one gets confused, this story is set in regular old Soul Society, but with a few differences: slavery is everywhere and Momo is not a lieutenant, in fact Momo is a slave. As far as time period it would be pre-Soul Society arc with changes to a few characters' age, i.e. Hitsugaya and Momo

Summary: Momo Hinamori is a slave who gets passed from one owner to the next, but when one of these owners falls in love disaster results.

Sorry no happy ending with this one, unless you complain enough for me to change my mind.

Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that has to do with Bleach, if I did Hitsugaya and Momo would live happily ever after, and so would Ulquiorra and Orihime.

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**Broken**

Momo's earliest memory was the she was sold. It had been clear and warm that day, the sun shone gently and the soft breeze played in the grass creating emerald waves. The slave trader was tall and wore a white haori. She no longer knew who it was that sold her, only that she carried a hatred for him so deep she could not even begin to comprehend it. She was five at the time.

Now the process of being sold or given away as a gift was a fact of life. She had value only in the most literal sense of the word. Momo couldn't remember ever feeling loved, or having someone care if she lived or died. She was broken in so many pieces she was barely human, an empty shell that lived only to serve.

Momo's current master was an elderly man; he was kindly and quite liberal with his only slave, even going so far as allowing her to go unescorted to the market to run his errands. Momo never even considered running away, the concept f betraying one's master was inconceivable to her, besides, the thick black collar around her neck would give her away and undoubtedly someone would return her so that she might be punished.

Momo had served this man since she was eleven, but Master Yamasaru's health was failing him and Momo knew that she would soon serve a new master and the gods only knew who that might be. She was fourteen now and no longer viewed as a little girl. Yamasaru bragged that he had the most beautiful slave in all of Seretei and Momo feared that her next owner might not be so old and so kind, her next master might be some fat pig intent on using her for his own sick pleasures. Momo shuddered at the thought when it crept into her mind, which was all too often. She had heard many stories from other slaves who had been forced to commit such acts with their masters, but she new that, even though the very thought repulsed her, she would always submit.

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**Author's Notes:**

I know its a short chapter, but there should be lots of them to make up for it. Please review.

Until next time

Blood Lady


	2. Sickness

**I'm back with Chapter Two, it's a little longer than the last one. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed Chapter One. Over 100 hits in the first week. YAY!  
**

**Disclaimer: ****Sadly ****I own nothing that has anything to do with Bleach, not even a copy of the manga - but Yamasaru and Gintaro are mine as far as I know.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

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**Sickness**

Momo awoke early that morning, as she always did, and went to star the fire in the kitchen. Her master liked his tea ready at precisely six o'clock, and he would be put out with her the whole day if it were not.

Momo hated working in the kitchen in the summer, it was always so hot, but her preferences did not matter, she was a dutiful servant. She built a roaring fire and hung the kettle over it. Master Yamasaru's tea was bitter and smelled strongly of willow bark. Momo wrinkled her nose as she poured the mixture of twigs and leaves into the cup, taking care to get just the right amount before adding the boiling water.

"Good morning Master," She greeted him customarily as she slid opened the door to his chamber.

Yamasaru did not respond.

Momo carefully placed the tea on the long table against the wall. "Master?" She peered anxiously into his ancient, long bearded face.

The wrinkled skin shone with sweat, the heavy brows knit in agony.

Panic gripped her, "Master," She called again, "What's wrong?" Her white fingers clutched her pink yukata.

The old man's eyes opened, two slits of black. "Hinamori," A deep couch racked his frail body. "Fetch the doctor." He wheezed.

Momo choked back a sob of terror, 'What will happen to me if he dies before making arrangements for me to go to a new home?' She thought.

She bowed hurriedly to the old man, "Yes Master." She said before running off.

The doctor was a retired medic from the fourth division turned herbalist. He lived three streets away, Momo collected herbs for her master from him regularly.

"Dr. Gintaro!" She cried, pounding on the door. "Dr Gintaro!"

The doctor appeared momentarily, looking very tired and out of sorts. "Hinamori, what are you ding here?" He asked, smoothing his coarse, white hair.

"Master Yamasaru is ill. You must come help him." Momo explained, breathless from the run.

His brow furrowed, "Of course Hinamori. Return home now, I will be there as soon as I can.

Momo returned to find her master unconscious. When Gintaro arrived he examined Yamasaru and gave him some medicine.

"You'll need to give this to him every four hours." He said, turning to Momo who was huddled in the corner, "Three drops in willow tea if he can drink it, five in a little water if he can't." He placed the little glass bottle on the table. "I'll come by this afternoon to check on him."

Momo nodded, her eyes wide with fear, "Yes sir."

"Don't worry Hinamori, I'm sure Yamasaru has arranged for you to be passed to a new owner." Gintaro said, reading her expression.

She bowed, "Thank you Dr. Gintaro."

Momo stayed by her master's side all day, administering the medicine and soothing him in his fevered tossing. All that day his condition grew worse and when Gintaro returned Momo feared her master was near death.

"Dr. Gintaro, is Master Yamasaru going to die?" She asked from her place in the corner.

Gintaro sighed heavily, "Yes Hinamori, I believe so."

Momo whimpered softly, 'Where will I go?' she wondered to herself.

"He doesn't have long, a day, maybe two." He continued, "I'll contact his nephew, you can expect him within the next three days. I'll come by again tomorrow to see how you are."

Again Momo bowed, "Yes sir."

Yamasaru died that night.

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**Hope you liked it, please review. **

**Blood Lady **


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